FACTBOX - Little known facts about Sachin Tendulkar

India's Sachin Tendulkar gestures as he prepares to bowl during the fourth day of their third and final test cricket match against West Indies in Mumbai November 25, 2011.

REUTERS - Following are a few little-known facts about Sachin Tendulkar, who became the first player to score a century of international hundreds on Friday.

* Tendulkar has 13 coins from his coach Ramakant Achrekar. He would win a coin if he could get through an entire session of nets without being dismissed.

* Tendulkar holds the unique distinction of scoring a century on debut in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy and Duleep Trophy.

* Tendulkar was a ball boy during the 1987 semi-final between India and England.

* There are two wards in New Delhi's Tihar Jail, one named after Tendulkar and another after Vinod Kambli -- the duo shared a 664-run unbroken partnership in a school match.

* Tendulkar was the first player to be given out by the third umpire in an international game.

* Everyone remembers Vangipurappu Laxman (281) and Rahul Dravid's (180) 376-run partnership against Australia in a Kolkata test in 2001 after being asked to follow on but many have forgotten Tendulkar's three wickets in the second innings, including those of Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist to trigger the collapse.

* Tendulkar was the first individual without an aviation background to be awarded the honorary rank of Group Captain by the Indian Air Force.

(Compiled by Rajiv Gupta, editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)